Title :
Prototype development - flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells for space applications
Author :
Neisser, Axel ; Kaufmann, Christian A. ; Klenk, Reiner ; Scheer, Roland ; Kroon, Martin A. ; Oomen, Gijs ; Schock, Hans-Werner
Author_Institution :
Hahn-Meitner-Inst., Germany
Abstract :
Flexible thin film technologies find increased attention with device efficiencies approaching values comparable to rigid substrates. In particular the high power to weight ratio plus the superior radiation hardness of flexible thin film solar cells make them an attractive alternative to current technologies for space power generation. This contribution reports on latest advances in the development of prototypes of single Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells on titanium foil with a total area of 27 cm2. The development of a dedicated baseline technology for cell processing is outlined and improvements with respect to process reproducibility and yield are discussed. Losses in cell performance due to scaling up the device area are evaluated. Efficiencies of 13.7 % and 12.2 % under AM1.5 and AM0 illumination respectively have been reached so far.
Keywords :
aerospace instrumentation; copper compounds; gallium compounds; indium compounds; solar cells; space power generation; ternary semiconductors; thin film devices; 12.2 percent; 13.7 percent; AM0 illumination; AM1.5 illumination; Cu(InGa)Se2; Ti; baseline technology; cell performance losses; cell processing; device area scaling up; device efficiency; flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells; power-to-weight ratio; process reproducibility; prototype development; radiation hardness; space applications; space power generation; titanium foil; Performance loss; Photovoltaic cells; Prototypes; Reproducibility of results; Solar power generation; Space technology; Substrates; Thin film devices; Titanium; Transistors;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2005. Conference Record of the Thirty-first IEEE
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8707-4
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2005.1488110
